Lessons from LA Wildfires: Designing Fire-Resistant Homes
I’ve been reflecting a lot over the last week on the devastating LA wildfires, as well as considering other terrible events in Canada and Australia last year, and Lahaina in Hawaii in 2023.
The images are truly heart-wrenching – entire neighbourhoods reduced to ashes, families displaced, and lives tragically lost. It’s a stark reminder of the forces of nature and how imperative it is for us, as designers and builders, to design and construct homes that can withstand such extreme events – or at least give us a good chance of escaping should we experience a fire in our own home.
I’ve discussed publicly on many occasions the responsibility we have as designers to do more than make a house pleasing to the eye – and I often split opinion, especially from architects who charge like a wounded bull on high-end builds. See this article I wrote recently:
As we know, fire and water are the two main enemies of our buildings; I don’t think there are many elements that can destroy a building so effectively – and quickly in the case of fire. I once saw a house fire in Toronto, Canada. I happened to be walking past when the fire was in its infancy, and literally 10 minutes later the building was totally consumed by fire. It was a stark lesson for me. This lesson didn’t necessarily teach me not to design buildings in timber, but it did make me think twice about the layout, for escape, and the cladding(sidings) and roof I specify.
What Is a Defense Boundary?
One important element I’ve learned is we need to consider the perimeter around our houses, mainly to use non-combustible materials that won’t catch fire from flying embers. I don’t mean put concrete everywhere around your house, as this will cause you issues with water run-off—especially in high-density housing intensification areas which our city planners and councils are encouraging.
In New Zealand during Cyclone Gabrielle, we learned a lot about stormwater runoff, particularly in areas where there’s a lot of hardscaping and not a lot of soakaway opportunities for the water. So design and product specification is about balance, and very few designers seem to understand this.
In this article I’ve included a video (above) from our regular guest author Matt Risinger from the Build Show in the US. In the YouTube video he’s discussing two homes in LA that remarkably survived the recent wildfires. There could be many reasons why these homes survived, including a large dose of luck, but Matt’s analysing why these homes stood strong while others around them didn’t.
Lessons From Two Surviving LA Fire Homes
I’ll try to summarise some of the key points from Matt’s video:
First off, let’s talk about Tom Hanks’s home. Yes, the renowned actor’s house was one of the few left standing in the area. Looking at aerial photos, a few things stand out. The property had significant defensible space around it—a buffer zone between the home and the bush. This space was filled with hardscaping materials like a pool and non-combustible surfaces (concrete paving etc.), which acted as barriers against the approaching flying embers and flames.
Tom’s home featured a metal roof and potentially a flat roof section with a layer of non-combustible rocks on top—gravel or small stones, presumably—not necessarily for fire protection, but for durability and roof protection. I believe the roof is made of metal, which gives a high fire rating—but I would be interested to see how clay tiles fare in comparison.
The lack of traditional overhangs (which I think are essential) and soffit vents minimised entry points for embers, which are another cause of homes igniting during wildfires. By eliminating these vulnerabilities, the design significantly reduced the risk of embers entering attic spaces and starting internal fires. Again, we need to remember balancing our design for water protection, so try to find a solution where we can have eaves and also fire protection.
The second home that wasn’t affected by the fire was, I believe, designed by architect Greg Chaison. Built just six months before the fires, the home remained intact while neighbouring houses were destroyed. He attributes this resilience to several key design choices:
Fire-Resistant Materials
The home’s exterior was clad in stucco, a non-combustible material that doesn’t ignite like wood siding. Stucco is typically made from Portland cement, sand, water, and a small amount of lime. The roof was metal with a special underlay designed to enhance fire protection.
Defensible Boundary
Greg emphasised the importance of having a clear area around the home. The landscaping was thoughtfully planned with drought-tolerant and low-combustible plants, and there was a conscious effort to eliminate flammable materials close to the structure.
Non-Combustible Fencing
Instead of wooden fences, which can act like a wick leading fire straight to a home, Greg used concrete walls and metal fencing. These materials do not burn and can help stop or slow the spread of fire.
Tempered Glass Windows
Windows are often the weakest link during a fire. Greg used tempered glass, which is more resistant to heat and less likely to break than regular glass. The longer the window stays intact, the higher the chance embers won’t enter the home (through broken windows)—hopefully lasting long enough for the fire front to pass.
Simplified Roof Design
The home avoided complex and convoluted rooflines with valleys and overhangs where embers can collect. A monolithic roof structure reduces the areas where debris can accumulate and simplifies maintenance—and building cost!
Ember-Resistant Vents
Vents, as we discussed earlier, can be entry points for embers. Using ember-resistant venting systems or designing unvented attics can significantly reduce this risk. Products like metal mesh screens can retrofit existing vents to block embers while still allowing airflow.
Material Selection Should Be Driving Our Designs
I know I sound like a broken record, but our design choices are really important to the outcome of our home’s longevity and the lives of our occupants. These extreme—but seemingly common – fire events are extremely important lessons for us. Our designers need to lead the charge, because if we wait for our building codes to be updated, many more lives will unfortunately be lost.
So creating a defensible space is one of the most effective ways to protect a home from wildfire. The immediate couple of metres around the home should be kept clear of combustible materials—at a minimum. This includes using gravel or rocks instead of mulch, keeping decks and patios free of flammable items, and ensuring that any plants are low-growing and well-spaced.
Beyond that, in the 2–10 m zone, it’s important to manage vegetation carefully. Trees should be spaced to prevent fire from jumping between them, and branches should be trimmed away from the house. Using hardscaping features like permeable stone pathways can help break up fuel continuity.
Material selection is paramount. Roofs should be Class A fire-rated, which includes options like metal, clay tiles, or specific asphalt shingles designed for fire resistance. Cladding/siding materials should be non-combustible or ignition-resistant. I believe stucco, fibre cement, and plaster are good examples.
Additionally, while we might not always think about what’s stored around the house, items like firewood stacks, propane tanks, and even patio furniture can become fuel for fires. These should be stored away from the main structure, particularly if the house is vacant for long periods.
Community Plays a Role
It’s also worth noting that community planning plays a role. In areas prone to wildfires, collaboration between homeowners can enhance overall safety. After all, a neighbour’s burning home can threaten surrounding houses. Implementing community-wide defensible space practices can make a significant difference.
Resources
There are excellent resources available for those looking to implement these strategies. Wildfireprepared.org offers guidelines and checklists for homeowners and builders. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) provides detailed codes and standards for fire-safe construction.
Final Thoughts
In reflecting on these lessons, it’s clear that while we can’t control nature, we can control how we prepare for it. As a designer, I have to incorporate these design principles into my projects—particularly the careful consideration of the products and building systems I specify—not just in wildfire-prone areas but as a standard for resilience and safety.
Remember, our building codes (well, most) are codes to deliver the bare minimum standards—we must move beyond that and strive to build homes that are not only beautiful, functional, and affordable, but also robust against the challenges posed by our environment. It’s about adopting a mindset of “know better, build better.”
In closing, my heart goes out to all those affected by these tragic events—not just the LA wildfires, but all countries experiencing severe weather events. If it’s at all possible, let’s honour their property loss by taking proactive steps to minimise future tragedies. By integrating defensible space, selecting fire-resistant materials, and designing simply with these risks in mind, we can create homes that stand strong in the face of adversity.
Stay safe, and let’s build a better, more resilient, and safer future together.
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